The cold wind is biting, and the mourners are displaced.
Although the morning sun has just risen, it is like the setting sun, as red as blood.
Outside Chang'an City, there is still a layer of snow that is neither thin nor thick.
Although spring has arrived, the chill is still strong, and the dead trees have not yet sprouted new buds, making people feel as if there is no more life in the world.
Xia Houxuan stood alone at the top of the city, letting the cold wind and snow hit his face, but he didn't have the slightest intention to dodge.
After learning about the murder of a group of relatives and friends in Luoyang, he had a sleepless night.
He raised his eyes and looked at the green and white mountains in the distance, where the mountains and snow complemented each other, and he felt surprisingly calm in his heart.
At this moment, there was no beautiful Chang'an in his eyes, but only a hint of sadness and desolation.
"Captain, the generals from Zhengxi Mansion have arrived!"
The soldier who was delivering the order ran too fast, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his forehead. The heat and cold collided, causing a burst of white mist to evaporate on his forehead.
Xia Houxuan nodded, and the soldiers understood, and immediately got off the battlements and called all the generals summoned by Xia Houxuan to the top of the city.
Xiahou Xian, the military advisor of the Xifu, and Fancan, the commander of the army, were joining the army at Lefang. They were joined by He Kui, Qian Jia and Qian Hong. They were in charge of Yu Huan. The chief bookkeeper, Xia Hou, was summoned by everyone and immediately boarded the city.
"See the Grand Governor!"
"Excuse me!"
Xia Houxuan did not look back, but waved his hands towards everyone, and then said a piece of news that shocked everyone:
"Perhaps you don't know yet, but something happened in Luoyang. The generals, the central leaders and other brothers, He, Deng and Ding, the three ministers, the great minister Nong Huan Yuanze, the Jingzhou governor Li Gongzhao and others were all killed by Sima Yi. Today, the governor of Japan I have called you here just to hear your opinions!”
As soon as this statement came out, everyone who was not informed by Xiahou Xuan was dumbfounded. There were many smart people among them, and they had already anticipated the situation, but they did not expect that this day would come so suddenly.
Xia Houxian wanted to establish great achievements in the northwest so as to regain his former glory, but now that the Sima family has seized power, his dream has undoubtedly been interrupted. Therefore, he was extremely angry and took the lead in speaking:
"Brother, the ambition of Sima's wolf son is obvious. We have been favored by your majesty, the general, to guard the western border. We must avenge this revenge. According to my brother's opinion, we should order up our troops and horses and rush to the capital to protect the king. The king of the Qing Dynasty Side, kill the traitor!"
He Kui, Xia Houfeng, Yu Huan, Qian Jia, Qian Hong and others were excited, and they all echoed:
"Yes, kill the traitor!"
Xia Houxuan had been thinking about it all night, and naturally he had an idea. Now seeing that everyone's morale was available, he no longer hesitated and directly ordered to start arranging troops and horses:
"Xiahou Xian listens to the order and orders you to quickly and secretly assemble 10,000 troops from the Zhengxifu General Camp in Chang'an, and be the first to guard Taicang, the arsenal of Chang'an. At the same time, divide your troops to guard the main road from Chang'an to the capital. The news must not be lost!"
"As you command!"
Although Xia Houxuan arranged for Xia Houxian to block the passage, he knew in his heart that the Sima family had many eyes and ears, and Guo Huai would definitely inform Sima Yi as soon as he learned the news. The news could not be completely kept secret.
But he has the will to die now and is not afraid at this moment.
Perhaps what he was most worried about at the moment was his Mingyue.
But when he thought of the brutal murders of his cousin Cao Shuang, his life-and-death brother Cao Xi, his friends Li Sheng, Deng Yang and other countless relatives and friends, his desire for revenge became firmer again.
"Qian Jia and Qian Hong listen to the order. You two quickly mobilize 50,000 soldiers and horses from the Fufeng and Feng Yi battalions, march them to the east and west suburbs of Chang'an, and assist the Chang'an battalion to suppress Guo Huai!"
"yes!"
"Xiahou is ordered to rush to Longxi County as soon as possible, notify General Xiahou Ba, and order him to send his soldiers to secretly block the passage from Nan'an County to Chang'an, and do not allow Deng Ai to return to Chang'an to aid Chang'an!"
"yes!"
"Fan Can and Le Fang listen to the order. You two will take Mr. Li Dangzhi with you and guard the residence of Zhengxi Mansion together. Remember not to let my mother know about the changes in Luoyang and my plan!"
"yes!"
Xia Houxuan saw that everything was ready, so he walked down to the top of the city, intending to inspect the situation in the city. As usual, he greeted the vendors in the East and West Market with a smile, and encouraged the gatekeepers with sincere words. As a soldier, he would never look down on the low-level traffickers and pawns because of his noble status, which also magnified his personal charm infinitely.
At this moment, an old man who was about the same age as Xia Houxuan's mother, Cao Jue, and carrying a food box, hunched over and slowly passed by Xia Houxuan. For no reason, Xia Houxuan thought of his late father, Xia Houshang.
If my father hadn't died for love back then, he would be the same age as this old man now.
Thinking of this, Xia Houxuan couldn't help but say hello to the old man:
"Old man, you are leaving so early. Where are you going?"
The old man grinned toothlessly and said with a smile:
"Looking at your appearance, you must be an official. You are not much different from the age of my descendants!"
Xia Houxuan smiled and nodded, and the old man continued with a proud look on his face:
"The young man of the old man is serving as a soldier under the command of Governor Xiahou. No, he was promoted to corps commander last month. He also sent two bags of white flour to his family. His mother made him a bowl of soup cake. The old man is afraid. It's cold, no, I picked it up as soon as the soup cakes came out of the pot. My family has three generations of soldiers, and they have served as top soldiers for generations. This guy has now been promoted to a corps commander, which can be regarded as a boost for the family. There's green smoke coming from the sky, hahaha, I won't say it any more, I'm a young man, I'm going to take the first step, and I'm going to deliver soup cakes to our kids!"
Xia Houxuan looked at the old man's retreating back, thoughtfully.
Now that he is revolting against the king and avenging his relatives and friends, he is naturally putting his life and death at risk, but what does he think of thousands of families like the old man just now?
Even if he succeeds in his rebellion, he will inevitably bleed into rivers and create a sea of blood, not to mention that it is difficult for him to succeed at all!
In the northwest, I encourage farmers to cultivate crops, resist foreign enemies, and protect the environment and the people. The purpose is to allow these people to live and work in peace and contentment without being disturbed. Now that once the army is launched, the painstaking efforts of the past few years and even decades of predecessors will be turned into nothing. It’s all in vain!
Thinking of this, Xia Houxuan felt a lot of hesitation in his heart, but after he closed his eyes, his mind suddenly flashed through the past emperors, his father Xia Houchang, his uncle Cao Zhen, his cousin Cao Xi, his sister Yuanrong, There are also the voices and smiles of Master Yu Gui and others.
After a while, Xia Houxuan regained his composure, and the idea of revenge against King Qin became firm again in his heart!
He firmly believes that as long as he takes the lead in raising troops in Chang'an, Brother Zhong Gong from Yuzhou, Old General Wang Yanyun and Brother Gongxiu from Yangzhou will definitely respond together. When the three armies come together to attack King Qin, success may not be impossible!
——————————————
The official residence of the governor of Yongzhou.
When the former general Guo Huai learned that the Chang'an arsenal and Taicang were quickly occupied by Xia Houxian and others, and that the important roads in the western and eastern suburbs were blocked by Xia Houxuan's Zhengxifu camp troops, he immediately panicked:
"Why don't you report to me in the morning!"
The soldiers who ordered the order were so frightened by Guo Huai's reaction that they immediately knelt down on the ground:
"Shijun Guo, Commander Xiahou... the actions of Xiahou Xuan's soldiers are extremely secretive, and we... didn't even react at all!"
Guo Huai grabbed the tea cup on the table and drank all the cold tea before he calmed down.
After all, he had never looked down upon Xia Houxuan since he came to Chang'an. This time, Xia Houxuan's violent behavior also allowed him to fully understand Xia Houxuan's hidden strength.
But after all, he is a veteran and famous general who has experienced hundreds of battles. Although Xia Houxuan has taken the advantage at this moment, he has not completely lost his position.
The total number of Yongliang elites under his command is 80,000, which is no less than the imperial army stationed in Yongliang under the control of Xiahou Xuan. Even if there is a fight, he will not be defeated by Xiahou so easily.
What's more, after he received the news of the sudden change in Luoyang a few days ago, he had quietly sent an envoy to Luoyang to remind the prince to be careful about Xiahou!
As a famous general who has experienced hundreds of battles, he knows well the principle of preparing for a rainy day, but what he didn't expect was that just after he was the first to complain, Xia Houxuan launched a real mutiny!
What Guo Huai is most worried about at the moment is that if he and Xia Houxuan get into a fight, Jiang Wei will be in trouble if he takes advantage of the situation and goes north. Moreover, if he, the governor of Yongzhou, makes the northwest a mess, even if he successfully solves Xia Houxuan's troubles, he will definitely be discredited, or even be dismissed from office!
After Guo Huai thought for a while, he finally figured out one thing: he must not let Xia Houxuan raise an army, not from the beginning!
"Where is Xia Houxuan?!"
"He should have...led his army to surround our mansion at this moment!"
After hearing this, Guo Huai took a deep breath again. He immediately ordered his soldiers to fetch his armor and his horses. After dressing up, the fully armed Guo Huai led the two hundred soldiers in his house. The horse then left the Yongzhou governor's residence.
Xia Houxuan's pro-army troops had already been ordered to impose martial law on the streets, so the streets were clean at this time, with not even a single citizen watching the excitement.
The two generals, who had the highest status in the northwest, both had tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in their hands, and both had great power, finally got into a fight and started a sword-on-knife, gun-on-gun confrontation.
Xia Houxuan is now wearing an iron helmet with fish scales on his forehead, a large armor with silver fine iron scales, a white sparrow horse on his crotch that looks like white snow, and a white sparrow on his waist that looks like rotten silver. 'The treasured sword, with a long stainless steel handle of one foot or two in the right hand, holding the horse's rein in the left hand, two strands of gray hair on the temples fluttering in the wind, looking extremely chic and majestic.
After many years of military career, he, a once-in-a-lifetime celebrity with a reputation spread throughout the capital, finally gained some real general charisma.
In a daze, Guo Huai seemed to see in Xia Houxuan the resurrected appearance of the old general Xia Houshang who conquered the south, and he also seemed to see the former great Sima Cao Zhen's spirit.
"Captain Xiahou, please forgive me for wearing my armor and not being able to perform the full ceremony!"
Guo Huai raised his gun and immediately raised his hand towards Xiahou Xuan. He hid his panic and tried his best to stay calm in front of the troops. He understood that if he showed cowardice at this moment, the consequences would be disastrous.
Xia Houxuan just nodded towards Guo Huai and did not reply.
For the first time, Guo Huai truly felt the pressure from the guarding governor. Xia Houxuan stopped talking nonsense at this moment and went straight to the point to undermine Guo Huai's military morale:
"The Taifu Sima Yi made a rebellion, hijacked the Queen Mother and the Emperor, secretly snatched the military power of the ministers, annihilated three clans of important ministers without permission, and killed half of the famous people in the world. His crimes were heinous. This governor has been deeply favored by the country for generations, and has been entrusted with the important task of Fangbo Mountain. Today He raised an army to serve the king and conquered the rebels. Why did Governor Guo stop him? Do you also want to join the rebels!?"
Guo Huai saw the panic on the faces of the soldiers behind him and the Yongliang soldiers outside the mansion. He understood that the morale of the army was in chaos. If he fought with Xia Houxuan at this moment, he would definitely not get any benefits, so he racked his brains to think of a way to break the situation.
[Note 1: In ancient times, the morale of the military was easily confused, because the soldiers did not know the general situation of the country and the inside story of the court, and only knew how to obey the orders of their superiors. Often, the soldiers would believe what their superiors and generals said. At this moment, in the novel, as an important minister of the clan and the top leader of Yongliang, Xia Houxuan, who has always been trustworthy, said in front of the three armies that Guo Huai had not announced the great changes in the court, which undoubtedly caused Guo Huai's soldiers to fall into a state of "brain short circuit". Even if Guo Huai forcibly commanded them to fight, their willpower was not firm. They are also very difficult to win. 】
In this way, after the two armies were in a stalemate for a while, Guo Huai finally thought of a last resort:
"Captain Xiahou, we are thousands of miles away in Yongzhou. You and I can only hear what happened in the capital city. It is inappropriate for the entire country to fight against each other. If Commander Xiahou insists on fighting, I, Guo Boji, would rather fight the governor alone than suffer the unreasonable disaster of the entire army!"
Guo Huai's words that seemed to understand the righteousness did indeed reduce the fighting spirit of Xiahou Xuan's soldiers. However, Xiahou Xuan had an arrow on the string at the moment and had to shoot. How could he stop there? It was not Xiahou's intention. If he could capture and kill Guo Huai in front of the three armies, it would naturally boost the morale of the army. Having made up his mind, Xiahou Xuan no longer hesitated. He waved the stainless steel spear in his hand and shouted at Guo Huai:
"Guo Boji, what you said is exactly what I want. In that case, today you and I will see each other first!"
Guo Huai originally wanted Xia Houxuan to retreat when he saw the difficulty, but he did not expect that Xia Houxuan would be so trusting and dare to challenge himself, a veteran general who had experienced hundreds of battles, in a duel. Guo Huai was also courageous at this moment, and he turned behind him With a wave of his hand, hundreds of soldiers from the governor's office dispersed towards the perimeter. Seeing this, Xia Houxuan also ordered his soldiers to retreat fifty steps.
When Guo Huai saw that the scene was open, he immediately drew his gun and rushed towards Xia Houxuan on horseback!
Xiahou Xuan was originally an extremely cautious person, but now he was burdened with the blood feud between his cousins. Naturally, he became more courageous when he was furious. He shouted loudly, activated the 'White Sparrow', swung the steel spear and aimed at the tit-for-tat enemy. He rushed towards Guo Huai!
Guo Huai has been on the battlefield for many years, and he is well aware of the truth that there are people outside the world. He does not dare to rely on his proficiency in martial arts. Therefore, he used eight parts of his strength as soon as he took action, and shot at the scale armor between Xia Houxuan's two breast mirrors. He stabbed through the gap!
But he made the same mistake as Jiang Wei at the time, which was to use common sense to infer the physical skills of Xiahou Cao's general. In an instant, Xiahou Xuan used the family's "Cloud Walk and Rain Step" movement technique, dodging Guo Huai's stabs with a clever dodge. At the same time, when Guo Huai wasn't paying attention, Xiahou Xuan directly used it in reverse. A killing move named after Emperor Wen's famous line in "Shan Zai Xing" - "Tangtangchuan flows, and there is a boat in the middle"!
This move was originally a sword technique, but after Xia Houxuan's battle with Jiang Wei, he temporarily changed his sword moves to horse fighting and marksmanship. He tasted the sweetness of winning unexpectedly, so he studied hard, combined with the use of marksmanship in horse fighting in the army, and finally roughly He created a set of systematic moves that turn swords into spears. The move just now, "Tangtang River, with a boat in the middle", combines the majestic momentum of the surging river and the sudden appearance of the boat. It is unexpected, and there is a third-level surprise hidden in the power.
In addition, Xia Houxuan's move was to turn around and stab back, which was even more unpredictable. If it weren't for Guo Huai's intuitive dodge developed through years of battlefield experience, he would have almost been stabbed in the lower back by Xia Houxuan!
Although Guo Huai had heard about Xiahou Xuanxuan's defeat of Sima Zhao in two rounds, his fierce battle with Wang Ping at Golden Gorge, and his fifteen-round draw with Jiang Wei for Wings, he had always treated these words as rumors. But Xia Houxuan's style of "flowing water with a boat in the middle" really made Guo Huai look at Xia Houxuan with admiration.
Although Guo Huai had been secretly following the Sima family in his early years, it was just a simple political stance. He had always guarded the border areas and did not understand the specific thoughts of the Central Plains nobles over the years. He had never thought that the Sima family would seek to usurp the throne. Therefore, although he has been wary of Xia Houxuan these years, he has never regarded him as a mortal enemy.
He had heard about the shocking changes in Luoyang a few days ago, and he felt that Taifu Sima had gone too far, so at this moment he understood Xia Houxuan's mood very well.
In addition, Guo Huai had a feeling of sympathy for Xia Houxuan after they had just fought each other, so now he had the idea of persuading Xia Houxuan.
After all, if the ruthless Taifu Sima knew about today's chaos in the northwest, Xia Houxuan would definitely die!
In his early years, Guo Huai had a close friendship with Cao Zhen, the late Grand Sima Shaoling and Marquis of Yuan Dynasty. Naturally, he did not want all of Cao Zhen's sons and nephews to die, so he had a desire to protect them.
"Guo Boji, if you wholeheartedly serve the traitor, then I, Xiahou Taichu, will not be able to spare you today!"
Just when Guo Huai was about to open his mouth to dissuade him, Xia Houxuan had already galloped over with great momentum!
Seeing this, Guo Huai could only resist first. He did not dare to underestimate the enemy at this moment and no longer took the initiative to attack. Instead, he used 100% of his strength to block the enemy.
"when!"
"Ding!"
In the blink of an eye, the two men crossed each other on the wrong horse, galloping back and forth, and before they knew it, they were fighting for three more rounds. Although Xia Houxuan came with ferocity and used strange moves one after another, Guo Huai had been fighting for half his life after all, and he was concentrating on defense. Therefore, Xia Houxuan was temporarily Half a moment could not break Guo Huai's tight defense.
"Captain Xiahou, do you really have the heart to see your Xiahou family being slaughtered and bringing harm to your wife and children?!"
Guo Huai was concentrating on defense at this moment, so he naturally had time to speak. He saw that after Xia Houxuan heard these words, there was a little hesitation in Xia Houxuan's eyes that were originally as bright as stars and full of murderous intent. He knew in his heart that Xia Houxuan did have some scruples. , so he continued to persuade:
"At the beginning of my life, I was favored by the Cao family and guarded Yongliang for many years. I had a good relationship with your uncle, the late Sima Cao Zidan. How could I really serve a traitor?"
"Taichu, there must be another reason for Taifu Sima's murder this time. Why don't you wait until you return to Beijing to check it carefully before talking about it?"
"My son Mingyue and his family members who are in Luoyang are still in the capital. Do you have the heart to abandon them?"
"You are in great power, famous all over the world, and you are in your prime. If you want to comfort the deceased, are you afraid that you will not have the chance in the future? Why do you want to show off your quickness today and cause the catastrophe of annihilation of the clan?!"
"Don't worry Taichu, I, Guo Huai, will never reveal anything about today's events to the capital, so you can rest assured!"
While Guo Huai was talking, the two men were fighting with their horses and spears. They had been fighting for more than twenty rounds. After listening to Guo Huai's words, Xia Houxuan thought of himself and his mother Cao Jue, his beloved wife Huigu, and his wife Cao Jue. My beloved son Mingyue and my beloved daughter Yun'er looked happy together.
There is also Uncle Gu, who has worried about generations of Xiahou Mansion. His grandson Gu Lianzhi has just been married for less than a year.
Finally, the soft love and longing in his heart temporarily drowned the flame of his revenge.
Xia Houxuan finally stopped his charge and slowed down the sharp steel spear in his hand.
——————————————
What Xiahou Xuan didn't know was that while he was fighting Guo Huai, a few beggars on West Street who were not afraid of death heard the news and shouted on West Street, "Captain Xiahou avenged the general and his family!" "Xiahou Xiahou avenged the general and his family!" The governor and Governor Guo are duel!" and other shocking words. Although Yue Fang quickly sent people to catch the beggar, these words were accidentally heard by Cao Jue, the dowager in Zhengxi Mansion's residence. go.
After hearing these words, the old lady, who had a nearly exhausted physique, collapsed on the ground as if her bones had been ripped away in an instant!
Huigu, Xia Houyu, Yun'er and other family members were instantly startled and hurriedly helped Cao Jue to the couch.
Huigu and Li Dangzhi tried their best to save Cao Jue, but both Li Dangzhi and Huigu understood at this moment that the old lady was hopeless after all.
When Xia Houxuan, who had not had time to take off his armor, returned to his house, Cao Jue seemed to have had a telepathy and instantly became energetic again.
Xia Houxuan has also learned a lot about medical science in the past two years, and he is also proficient in martial arts. When he saw his mother's appearance, he understood that this was the so-called "return of light". With tears streaming down his face, he just choked and held on tightly. My mother's hands were dry and cold, but she couldn't say a word.
Cao Jue looked at his increasingly mature, handsome and heroic son in front of him, and tried his best to squeeze out a smile:
"Xuan'er, I dreamed about...your father, your uncle, and Yuanrong...them again. I dreamed that you and Yuanrong...were still three or five. When I was 18 years old, I was playing in the yard with... Shuang'er and Xi'er..."
After Cao Jue finished saying this, her hand dropped heavily on the side of the couch!
————————————
Soon after, Luoyang's "will" came to Chang'an.
Xia Houxuan straightened up and knelt on the ground, and glanced coldly at Huang Menguan who came from the capital and was reading out the "imperial edict".
"The edict says: General Xiahou Xuan, Marquis of Changling in the Western Expedition, has been guarding the Western Territory for many years and is very tired. Now he is promoted to Dahonglu to comfort him. The military power in the Western Territory is taken over by Guo Huai..."
Xia Houxuan wanted to sneer, but he endured it.
Is this using his wife and children as a threat to relinquish military power in the northwest?
If this power requires me to bow down to the Sima family in exchange for it, then I will definitely not care about it!
Now he has only one thought, which is to find out all the specific conspiracies of Sima Yi at all costs, and then eliminate this culprit. After avenging Xi Di and others, he can then take his wife and children away from Luoyang and escape to the world. , Never ask about temple matters again!
At the same time, Xiahou Ba, the right general who holds 30,000 Yongliang direct troops, also received the "imperial edict" to be recruited into the court. However, he was not as calm as his nephew. At this moment, he knew very well that after entering the court, he fate.
After thinking for a long time, Xia Houba made a difficult decision. He decided to tell Xia Houxuan this almost crazy idea.
"Uncle is saying that you want to go to Shu and rebel against Wei?!"
Xia Houxuan had a look of astonishment on his face. He never expected that his uncle would make such a decision. He knew that his grandfather Xia Houyuan was killed by Liu Xuande, the First Lord of Shu, at Dingjun Mountain. How could his uncle think of joining his mortal enemy?
"Xuan'er, the situation in the DPRK is very clear now. Once you and I enter the DPRK, we will definitely be harmed by the Sima family. Life only lasts for decades. It would be too humiliating to be harmed by the enemy like this!"
Xiahou Ba seemed to have made up his mind, and he continued to persuade Xiahou Xuandao:
"Moreover, Xuan'er's cousin Xia Houjuan was the wife of Zhang Yide, the late Chariot General and Huanhou of Xixiang, the founding general of Shu. Even the current Queen of Shu, Zhang, is also your aunt's daughter, so now you and I The two of them entering Shu is actually the best strategy, Xuan'er, don't be stubborn anymore, listen to your uncle's advice!"
Xia Houxuan saw that Xia Houba had decided to leave, and he could not stop him after all, so he could only sigh helplessly:
"Now that uncle has decided, please take care of yourself along the way!"
"Why...Xuan'er doesn't go south with his uncle?"
Xiahou Ba looked shocked at this moment.
"As long as the Wei Dynasty still exists, Xuan will be a minister of the Wei Dynasty. He will remain unswerving in his determination. Everyone has his own ambitions. From now on, you and my uncle and nephew will be on opposite sides of the world and there will be no more connection!"
Xia Houxuan turned around and waved his sleeves, no longer standing opposite Xia Houba.
"In that case, Xuan'er, please take care of yourself..."
Xiahou Ba was very aware of his nephew's stubborn temperament and knew that it would be useless to talk more, so he sighed deeply, went out of the camp to fetch his horse, and went south alone.
What the two of them didn't know was that after Xiahou Ba left, he would later become a general in the Shu Han army second only to Jiang Wei. In the following years, Xiahou Ba accompanied Jiang Wei to the north many times to attack Wei. He died on the nine expeditions to the Central Plains.
In Chang'an City, beside Weiyang Palace, finally only his lonely figure remained.
Chang'an City that year seemed to be colder than any other early spring in the past. This coldness was enough to chill people's bones.
Xia Houxuan knew that once he entered Luoyang, he would never have any freedom again, so he wanted to contact someone before he entered the capital.
That is his cousin Cao Ai who lives far away in Longhu Mountain.
Perhaps only those who are free to come and go without restraint can find out some old stories.
After all, Jianghu is a very big and complex world.
Xia Houxuan dipped his pen in ink and wrote a long letter:
"Brother Ai sees words as he sees them:
We have been separated since we were children. We have only exchanged letters and never met each other. Today, there is a dramatic change in Beijing. Five of your brothers, Zhao Bo and Zhao Shu, and hundreds of family members in the mansion have been killed by the Sima family. The sorrow in the slaughter is beyond words. Now that my brother will enter the court alone, I am afraid that everything will be inconvenient in the future, so I would like to express my support to each other and hope that my brother can help me to avenge the great hatred of my brothers! I heard that the tomb of Cao Zihe, the commander of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, is in Yongzhou, Chang'an. There may be a mystery about the death of Cao Chong, Cao Cangshu, the king of Deng Ai, and the commander in chief in the tomb. I suspect that this case is related to Sima Zhongda. I must verify it. , if it is true, brother should fight hard to kill the old thief Sima! In addition, my brother will send his wife Li, their young son Mingyue, and their young daughter Yun'er to Qingzhou for refuge. I also hope that my brother will escort Brother Yu and his family to be safe.
Handwritten by Brother Xuan. "
After he put down his pen, he looked at the distant sky with perseverance in his eyes.
Although now, I am alone in the court, no matter what happens in the unknown years in the future, no matter whether I can bear it or not, I will bear it with all my strength!
Everything must be fair!
——————————
At the end of the tenth year of the Zhengshi period of the Wei Dynasty, the young emperor Cao Fang changed the Yuan Dynasty to Jiaping, which was the first year of Jiaping.
After the dramatic upheaval in Gaopingling, the general Cao Shuang and his brothers and ministers were all annihilated. The civil and military forces of the entire dynasty were in silence, and no one dared to speak out.
For a time, the number of celebrities in the world was reduced by half!
And Sima Yi also began to re-arrange his party members in the court to consolidate his strength again, and now, no one can stop him from running the world!
"Father, Xiahou Taichu resigned from power and came to Beijing. Now in this world, no one can boss us around!"
Sima Zhao, who had a slightly domineering personality, seemed extremely excited at the moment. And Sima Yi did not blame his son as openly as he had beaten Sima Zhao in previous years.
"Nowadays, everything is in ruins and there are many gaps everywhere. It is the time to employ people. Zhao'er, do you have any ideas?"
Hearing this, Sima Zhao excitedly took out a piece of silk from his arms, which was densely covered with official positions and names:
"Father, this is the promotion list drawn up by my eldest brother. Please take a look at it!"
Sima Yi raised his eyes and saw that all the names on the list were very decent and appropriate, so he showed a satisfied smile. After a while, he seemed to suddenly remember something, turned to Sima Zhao and ordered:
"By the way, Yi Rong's child has already reached the age of marriage. Now she is considered an old girl. If she doesn't get married, how will she behave? You and your elder brother should discuss it and find a good husband for Yi Rong. Let's get this child as soon as possible. The life-long matter has been resolved, and it can be regarded as a matter of closure."
Hearing this, Sima Zhao happily agreed to the matter. Sima Zhao still has fresh memories of the civil and military wedding ceremony held by the Xiahou Mansion on the banks of the Luoshui River when he was a child. It is best to have all the princes and sons of Luoyang competing for marriage. Only in this way can the current status and dignity of his Sima family be shown.
Soon, Sima Yi's confidant Fu Gu was promoted to Henan Yin.
Zhong Yu, the Marquis of Dingling, the prefect of Wei County, was also recalled to the capital and served as Yushi Zhongcheng and Shizhong; his younger brother Zhong Hui was appointed as Zhongshu Shilang.
Sima Zhao's father-in-law, Lanling Marquis Wang Su, also resumed his post as Guang Luxun.
Even Liu Fang and Sun Zi, who had resigned, became Zhongshu Ling and Zhongshu Supervisor again.
The court captain Lu Yu and the imperial servant Wang Guan were immediately promoted to Lantai Shangshu and occupied the Lantai cabinet.
The upper and lower sections of Shangshutai, Zhongshu Sheng, and Shizhong Temple are all occupied by disciples and former officials of the Sima family.
Because Gao Rou and Sun Li were old and no longer wanted to take on actual duties, they were promoted to Situ and Sikong, taking up this idle but highly respected position.
Locally, General Zhengnan and Governor of Jingyu Wang Chang continued to guard Jingzhou.
After Guo Huai replaced Xiahou Xuan as governor of Yongliang, Yingyinhou Chen Taize succeeded him as the governor of Yongzhou.
Wang Ji was first dismissed because of his status as a close aide to the late General Cao Shuang, and then he was immediately reinstated as the governor of Jingzhou.
Changyuan Hou Weilie was not implicated because his father Wei Zhen served Sima, and continued to serve as the emperor's regular attendant.
After Sima Yi's coup, the eighteen-year-old emperor Cao Fang completely lost his real power, and all power fell into the hands of Sima.
At this moment, although Zhuge Dan, Guanqiu Jian, Wang Ling and others were dissatisfied with Sima Yi in their hearts, they could only be restrained by him.
Sima Yi also wanted to absorb as many of these people as possible because they were all great talents, rather than killing them all.
Because of this, Wang Ling, the governor of Yangzhou, and Zhuge Dan, the governor of Yangzhou, the general Zhendong general, still guarded the important southeastern town of Yangzhou together. General Zhennan, governor of Yuzhou, and Marquis of Anyi Guanqiujian also continued to supervise Yuzhou and provide backup for Yangzhou.
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Luoyang City, eastern suburbs.
After the rain and snow the night before, the weather gradually became warmer.
Winter is coming to an end and spring is about to return.
But in the prosperous imperial capital, there is a sense of loneliness for no reason.
In the snowy fields on the outskirts of the city and between the mountains and fields, white snow and green buds complement each other, as if new life is about to emerge.
"Mingyue."
Xia Houxuan, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt down and touched his son's cheek.
Xiahou Mingyue, who is already eleven years old, already shows a hint of youthful heroism.
Xia Houxuan took off the two sharp weapons hanging from his waist, which were the "qualities" awarded to him by his father Xia Houchang when he was a child, and the "dragon scale" sword that his cousin Cao Xi had during his lifetime.
Nowadays, things have indeed changed.
He let out a long sigh and gently placed the two artifacts in the young man's palms.
This child has been very talented since he was a child and has practiced martial arts very hard. Now that he is eleven years old, his family's "Cao Xia Swordsmanship" has probably far surpassed his own back then. Naturally, he can safely hand over these two magical weapons. He did.
"Mingyue, can you promise father something?"
"Father just gives orders!"
The young man puffed up his chest, as if he felt much taller in an instant.
Xia Houxuan looked at the chariot not far away. It was the sedan he used when he married Hui Gu.
Huigu was lying quietly in the sedan chair at this time. She had taken the decoction prepared by Xia Houxuan and was falling into a deep sleep. She might not wake up until three days later.
Xia Houxuan understood that if he didn't do this, Huigu would definitely refuse to leave Luoyang. What he was going to plan next would be fatal if he was not careful. He must not harm his wife and children.
"Mingyue, your mother and Yun'er are sick now. They need to go to Qingzhou to visit your masters Wu Pu and Fan A before they can be cured. But my father is very busy and can't spare the time to go to Qingzhou, so he wants you to protect him along the way. It’s your mother’s car, do you understand?”
"My child understands!"
Mingyue nodded solemnly.
Xia Houxuan looked at his upright and resolute son, smiled with satisfaction, and continued:
"Mingyue, remember, you take your mother and your sister's car and drive two hundred miles east from here. There will be a village. Your sister Liangchen should live there temporarily at this time. After you arrive at the village, don't rush On your way, stay there first. About three days later, you will be met by an uncle dressed in Taoist attire and wearing the same jade pendant as your cousin Cao Xi. That person is your seventh cousin Cao Ai. Then, you Then you can go on the road with your seventh cousin and Liangchen. Remember Mingyue."
The young man looked at his father with his clear eyes and promised his father:
"Ye'er has made a note, and Ha'er will definitely send Mom, Yun'er and sister Liangchen to Qingzhou safely!"
"Okay, good boy, father believes in you!"
Xia Houxuan smiled warmly at Mingyue:
"Go on, after father has finished what he has to do, he will go find you and your mother."
At the time of separation, Mingyue couldn't help but blush. After all, he was only an eleven-year-old child. Now he was far away from his home in Luoyang and his father in a strange place thousands of miles away. He couldn't help but feel a little confused and reluctant to leave.
The child stepped forward and hugged Xia Houxuan's neck:
"Dad, my child can't bear to leave you..."
"Mingyue, please remember that you are a man and you should not shed tears easily. In addition, you must not neglect your literary and martial arts. When you arrive in Qingzhou, you should practice your family's martial arts diligently with your seventh cousin, and you can also let your two masters teach you medical skills. . Mingyue, remember, you have to use the sword in your hand to protect the people around you. Go... Qingzhou is not the end of the world. If God has mercy on you, maybe you and I, father and son, can meet again..."
That last instruction, wrapped in the cold wind from the west, followed the retreating chariot until it disappeared.
